Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 is a Minnesota intermediate school district providing cooperative specialized education—including special education, adult education, career and technical education, care and treatment, and the Elevate Online K-12 program—to 11 member and 8 associate school districts across the southwest metro area.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersShakopee, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 does
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 (SWMetro) is a public intermediate school district established in 1969 by the Minnesota Legislature under Minnesota Statute Chapter 136D, and is one of only four such districts in the state. Headquartered in Shakopee, MN, SWMetro operates as a cooperative educational services provider serving 11 member districts (Belle Plaine, Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose, Central, Eastern Carver County, Jordan, New Prague, Prior Lake-Savage, Shakopee, Tri-City United, Waconia, and Watertown-Mayer) and 8 associate member districts across the southwest Minneapolis metro area and surrounding regions. The district delivers more than 120 specialized programs spanning Adult Education (English Language Learning, GED preparation, Family Literacy), Alternative Learning (including SouthWest Metro High School ALC), Care & Treatment (day treatment, residential treatment, correctional education), Career & Technical Education in nearly 20 career fields, and Special Services providing Level 3 and 4 special education across multiple locations.
SWMetro's core product portfolio is delivered through a hybrid physical-digital infrastructure. The Elevate Online K-12 platform is a state-approved, tuition-free online school supporting all Minnesota students with synchronous and asynchronous courses; the program enrolled 334 students. The district operates 14+ physical sites including the Dean Lakes Education Center (headquarters), 401 Education Center, Buffalo Area Education Center, Lakeside Academy (residential treatment), Passageways (residential program for sex trafficking victims), and the Carver County Jail educational services. The underlying technology for online learning is described as standard digital tools supporting K-12 instruction rather than a proprietary or AI-driven platform.
SWMetro operates on a fee-for-service basis funded primarily through member district contributions and tuition billing. Member districts collectively fund specialized programming that would be cost-prohibitive for individual districts to maintain independently. End-user pricing is free for nearly all programs: Elevate Online is 100% free for Minnesota students, Adult Education classes (English, GED preparation, Family Literacy) are free to attend, and the only direct consumer fee identified is a $120 GED testing fee for Minnesota residents. The district is governed by an elected school board and is not a commercially traded entity.
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288
- Legal name
- Southwest Metro Intermediate School District 288
- Website
- https://swmetro288.org
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 is a Minnesota intermediate school district providing cooperative specialized education—including special education, adult education, career and technical education, care and treatment, and the Elevate Online K-12 program—to 11 member and 8 associate school districts across the southwest metro area.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cross-District Consortia & Shared Services Authorities (EDADABAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA), District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ), Specialized Inclusive / Co-Taught Special Education Programs (EDAKAAAK), Immigrant/Integration Language Programs (ESL/ESOL, Civics-Integrated) (EDAMAFAK), Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB)
Keywords
Where Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shakopee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices14 records
Markets served
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Tuition Billing: Revenue generated by tuition billing for student services. Intermediate districts operate on a fee-for-service basis where member districts collectively fund specialized programming.
- Member District Contributions: Member districts collectively fund specialized programming that would be too costly for individual districts to fund on their own.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Adult Education Programs |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free K-12 Online Education |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 is a public cooperative educational services entity that delivers specialized K-12, adult, and alternative education programs on a fee-for-service basis to 11 member school districts and 8 associate districts across Minnesota. It provides a portfolio of 120+ specialized programs spanning special education (Level 3/4 for ASD, DCD, EBD), adult education (ELL, GED, Family Literacy), career and technical education, alternative learning, and care & treatment services (day treatment, residential, correctional education).
Product overview
SouthWest Metro Intermediate District 288 is an intermediate school district providing specialized educational services through a portfolio of distinct programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Elevate Online (K-12 online school), Adult Education (ELL, GED, Family Literacy), Alternative Learning (Area Learning Center with diploma programs), Care & Treatment (day treatment, residential, correctional education), Career & Technical Education (20+ career pathways), and Special Services (level 3/4 special education programs). These programs are offered across multiple physical locations and through online delivery, serving member districts in the southwest Minneapolis metro area and associate member districts statewide. The district acts as a cooperative educational services provider rather than a product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Elevate Online: K-12 online school supporting all Minnesota students
- SouthWest Metro Adult Education
- SouthWest Metro High School (ALC)
- SWMetro Educational Foundation
- 401 Education Center
- Dean Lakes Education Center
- ANICCA Day Treatment
- Reflections Day Treatment
- Catalyst Program
- New Beginnings Program
- Lakeside Academy
- Passageways
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% graduation acceptance rate
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288
Customer profileSegments7 records
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Belle Plaine School District 716coreMember district utilizing SWMetro programming for specialized educational services. Superintendent: Ryan Laager. Districts collectively fund specialized programming that would be too costly individually.
- Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District 877coreMember district with PRIDE Transitions program at Buffalo Area Education Center. Superintendent: Scott Thielman.
- Central School District 108coreMember district utilizing SWMetro specialized programming. Superintendent: Timothy Schochenmaier.
- Eastern Carver County School District 112coreMember district hosting 401 Education Center and East Creek Family Center. Superintendent: Dr. Erin Rathke.
- Jordan School District 717coreMember district hosting River Valley Education Center and Juvenile Alternative Facility. Superintendent: Ranae Case Evenson.
- New Prague Area Schools District 721coreMember district utilizing SWMetro programming. Superintendent: Andy Vollmuth.
- Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools District 719coreMember district hosting Passageways program. Superintendent: Dr. Michael Thomas.
- Shakopee School District 720coreMember district hosting Dean Lakes Education Center and district headquarters. Superintendent: Mike Redmond (also serving as Interim Superintendent).
- Tri-City United School District 2905coreMember district hosting Level 3 special education services. Superintendent: Kevin Babcock.
- Waconia Public Schools District 110coreMember district hosting St. Boni Education Center. Superintendent: Brian Gersich.
- Watertown-Mayer School District 111coreMember district utilizing SWMetro programming. Superintendent: Darren Schuler.
- Bloomington School District 271minorAssociate member district. Superintendent: Eric Melbye.
- Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton District 2835minorAssociate member district. Interim Superintendent: Tom Lee.
- NRHEG School District 2168minorAssociate member district (New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva). Superintendent: Michael Meihak.
- St. Michael-Albertville School District 885minorAssociate member district. Superintendent: Ann-Marie Foucault.
- Waseca Public Schools District 829minorAssociate member district hosting Waseca Central special services. Superintendent: Eric Hudspith.
- Waterville-Elysian-Morristown School District 2143minorAssociate member district (WEM). Superintendent: Ryan Jensen.
- Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA)corePartnering with SWMetro Board of Education to lead the superintendent search process for the district's next superintendent.
- Carver County Health and Human ServicescorePartner for ANICCA Day Treatment program for adolescents experiencing mental health challenges.
- Scott County Mental Health CentercoreReferral source for Reflections Day Treatment program addressing mental health needs of students.
- Minnesota Adult & Teen ChallengecoreCollaborative partner for Lakeside Academy residential treatment program providing mental health and substance abuse services.
- The Link MNcorePartner for Passageways residential program serving youth who have been victims of sex trafficking.
- Intermediate School District 917minorOne of four Intermediate School Districts in Minnesota established under Minnesota Statute Chapter 136D.
- Intermediate School District 916minorOne of four Intermediate School Districts in Minnesota established under Minnesota Statute Chapter 136D.
- Intermediate School District 287minorOne of four Intermediate School Districts in Minnesota established under Minnesota Statute Chapter 136D.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Northeast Service Cooperative: Minnesota regional service cooperative providing shared services to member schools and agencies; comparable consortium-service structure though broader in scope than SWMetro's education focus.
- Sourcewell (formerly NJPA Cooperative Purchasing): Minnesota-based cooperative service agency that pools public-sector purchasing power, conceptually similar to SWMetro's consortium model though focused on procurement rather than educational programming.
- TIES (Technology & Innovation in Education): Minnesota cooperative of school districts focused on educational technology and online learning services; adjacent overlap with SWMetro's Elevate Online K-12 online school product.
Broad incumbents
- Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES): New York's BOCES network of regional educational service cooperatives that pool district resources for specialized programs; the closest structural analog to Minnesota Intermediate School Districts in another state.
- Area Education Agencies (Iowa): Iowa's regional intermediate agencies that deliver special education, media, and professional development services to school districts, comparable in function and cooperative funding approach to SWMetro.
- Education Service Centers (Texas): Texas's network of 20 regional Education Service Centers that provide shared services to school districts including special education, training, and technology support, analogous to the intermediate district model.
- Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA) - Wisconsin: Wisconsin's 12 CESAs are regional service agencies delivering special education, staff development, and shared programming to member districts, mirroring SWMetro's intermediate-district role.
Direct peers
- Intermediate School District 917: One of the four Minnesota Intermediate School Districts established under Chapter 136D, providing parallel specialized education, special education, and career/technical programs to its own consortium of member districts. Directly comparable cooperative model and regulatory framework.
- Intermediate School District 916: Northeast Metro Intermediate School District 916, another of the four MN Intermediate School Districts under Chapter 136D, offering similar special education, career-technical, and alternative learning services to its member districts.
- Intermediate School District 287: The fourth Minnesota Intermediate School District under Chapter 136D, serving the northwest metro with analogous consortium-funded specialized programming including special education and career-technical education.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 social profiles
Digital presenceSouthwest Metro Intermediate District 288 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288
What does Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 do?
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 is a public cooperative educational services entity that delivers specialized K-12, adult, and alternative education programs on a fee-for-service basis to 11 member school districts and 8 associate districts across Minnesota. It provides a portfolio of 120+ specialized programs spanning special education (Level 3/4 for ASD, DCD, EBD), adult education (ELL, GED, Family Literacy), career and technical education, alternative learning, and care & treatment services (day treatment, residential, correctional education).
Is Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 a public or private company?
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 is a public company. It is currently operating.
When was Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 founded?
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 was founded in 1969.
Where is Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 based?
Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 is headquartered in Shakopee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tuition Billing is the primary driver. The others are member District Contributions.
Who are Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Northeast Service Cooperative, Sourcewell (formerly NJPA Cooperative Purchasing) and TIES (Technology & Innovation in Education). Broad incumbents are Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Area Education Agencies (Iowa), Education Service Centers (Texas) and Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA) - Wisconsin. Direct peers are Intermediate School District 917, Intermediate School District 916 and Intermediate School District 287.
Does Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288.
What industry is Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288 in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADABAN, Cross-District Consortia & Shared Services Authorities, with a secondary code of EDADABAA, Public School Districts (K–12). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.